Rayson Roldan shared his story as part of the National AIDS Memorial Surviving Voices oral history project.  

In 2018 the series was dedicated to Asians and Pacific Islanders (A&PIs). The A&PI community is unique in that it includes people from all over the globe encompassing a multitude of diverse countries and cultures such as China and India, regions such as Southeast Asia and Pacific Island Countries & Territories such as Guam.

Many different languages and even more dialects are spoken, which makes outreach and education a challenge. And yet A&PI activists and their allies not only established a network of successful A&PI focused HIV and AIDS organizations across the US, but in the process they helped in shaping and organizing groups at all levels to serve those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, that prior to AIDS had not existed within the A&PI community.

Hear all the stories of API Community and AIDS at Surviving Voices

"Being told that I was HIV positive affected me a lot emotionally. I did not know how to handle that emotion, and so I just kept it in."

— Rayson Roldan

40 years of stories

We share the important story of AIDS --

the fear, stigma and discrimination. We share the stories of hope, courage, compassion, and love.  And, we bring to light the harsh reality that four decades later, there is no cure and the rates of infection are on the rise, particularly in communities of color.

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